Ingredients
Method
- Wash all the tomatoes thoroughly and remove any stems or bruised spots.
- Roughly chop the tomatoes into large chunks.
- Place the tomato chunks into a food processor or blender.
- Add the kosher salt and a crushed garlic clove if using.
- Pulse the tomatoes until they reach a coarse puree consistency.
- Line a large fine-mesh sieve with four layers of damp cheesecloth.
- Place the sieve over a deep bowl.
- Pour the tomato puree into the cheesecloth-lined sieve.
- Gather the edges of the cheesecloth and tie them with kitchen twine.
- Let the Tomato Water drip naturally in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours, or overnight.
- While the water drips, prepare the basil oil by blanching the basil leaves in boiling water for 15 seconds.
- Immediately plunge the basil into an ice bath.
- Squeeze all the water out of the blanched basil and pat it dry.
- Blend the dried basil with the olive oil until completely smooth.
- Strain the oil through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any leaf particles.
- Once the Tomato Water has finished dripping, discard the solids.
- Taste the Tomato Water and add a tiny pinch more salt if necessary.
- Pour the chilled water into glass bowls or glasses.
- Carefully drip the basil oil onto the surface of the Tomato Water using a spoon or dropper.
- Serve immediately while cold.
Notes
For the clearest Tomato Water, let gravity do the work and avoid squeezing the cheesecloth. Use fresh ingredients for the best flavor.